Omniana/Volume 2/Lord Chief Justice Holt
239. Lord Chief Justice Holt.
When Holt was Lord Chief Justice, he committed some enthusiasts to prison. The next day, one Lacy, who was of the same persuasion, went to his house, and asked to speak with him. The porter answered, his Lordship was not well, and could not be seen. Lacy insisted that he must speak with him, for he was sent to him by the Lord. When this message was delivered, he obtained admittance. "I come, (said he,) from the Lord, commanding thee to grant a noli prosequi to his faithful servants, whom thou hast unjustly committed to prison." "Thou canst not certainly have come from the Lord, (replied Holt,) for he would have sent thee to the Attorney General, knowing very well that it is not in my power to grant thy demand. Therefore thou art a false prophet, and shalt go and keep thy friends company in prison."
Holt would not have disconcerted this prophet by his logic, if it had not been backed by law. Fanaticism and bigotry are proof against logic. When the pictures of the Virgin at Rome in 1796 moved their eyes, and all Rome crowded to behold them, one of the pictures squinted, . . and the squint was admitted to be part of the miracle.